When does mileage cease to matter?

[zcacogp]

Chaps,

Downstairs has an interesting thread running about mileage on used cars, here. On a related topic, I was recently wondering under what conditions the mileage on a car ceases to matter?

For instance, if you were in the market for a Jag D-type then you wouldn't ask about the mileage - instead you would look carefully at the condition, the provenance and the racing history and offer accordingly. Here's one, and the mileage isn't listed:

http://www.classiccarsforsale.co.uk/car-advert/jag...

Here's another one (although it's not original) and the same applies;

http://www.carandclassic.co.uk/car/C518638

I'd suggest that if you wanted an original Mini Cooper then the same would apply. Indeed, given the number of these cars which were written off while rallying and yet turn up on the road having been completely re-built, the mileage would seem to be the least of your worries.

Kit cars are similar; as they can be built from a few boxes of bits, the mileage is not a clearly defined thing and you'd buy on condition rather than anything else.

So, on what other categories of cars does the mileage cease to matter? Historic cars, cars with racing pedigrees, anything else? Are there any modern(ish) cars where the same applies?


Oli.